“YouandIboth know that isn’t true.”
Shestraightened her shoulders again, “Well, it’s whatIwould do.”Indeed, it was.Myreckless and protective princess.
Iwaved my hand in dismissal, at which she rolled her eyes and turned from the room.AsIwatched her walk away, lecherously staring at that perfect ass in her training uniform,Iwondered just how much more of this tortureIcould endure.
Chapter21
Tori
Ittook me four days to fixAmalthea’swagon.Aftertwo,Avlynshowed me some pity and letNokigive me guidance.Itwas frustrating.I’dlived for over two centuries but couldn’t fix a simple wagon!ButwithNoki’shelp, and a lot of work, we managed to create something that at least rolled on four wheels.Amaltheawas ecstatic, andIwas more proud thanIwanted to let on.
Apart of me wanted to show the king, rub it in his face thatIhad managed to complete his task.Butafter our last encounter,Iavoided him at all costs.Ihad gotten too out of control.Ithad felt far too good to press myself against him and feel his heart pounding against his chest.It’sjust a game,Ikept reminding myself.Butwith each day that passed, it was harder to believe.
Ibusied myself with the cohort once again and spent my nights wandering the castle and making my plan to rescueJun.Whathad begun as a way to avoid the dark thoughts that crept in at night,Inow used to avoid very different thoughts ofAbraxas’ hard body and promises of punishment.
Thatwas until one night in my wanderings of the castle,Ipassed one of the main meeting spaces and heard clipped voices.Ihad found a servants’ passage that led into it, soIbacktracked.Ifollowed it and hid behind a tapestry in the room.
“Wecan’t keep sending them there to die.We’velost three cohorts already.”Afterbeing so adept at avoiding him, his deep rumbling voice surprised me.
“Thereis a reason these things are lost.Noone has traveled to theEternalCityin memory, maybe we can find another—”
Abraxasstood and slammed his fist on the table, “Thereis nothing else; we need that diadem.”
Avlyndismissed the other officers until it was just them in the room.Abraxassat back down, the rage ebbing from him. “Wehave been looking for decades,Avlyn, you know that.Thereis no other way.”Herubbed his fingers over his eyes, “I’lljust have to go myself.”
“Outof the fucking question.Thereis no wayIlet you take one step into that cursed forest.”Avlyn’svoice softened, “Youcan’t give this all up in your quest for revenge,Abraxas.Thiskingdom needs you.Weneed you.”
“I’mtired,Avlyn,I’mtired of living this way.Idon’t even recognize myself anymore.”Iwas shocked by the raw emotion in his voice.Sovery different to the arrogant manIhad fought with just days ago.IheardAvlynmove over closer to him, and something knotted deep in my stomach, but they spoke again, “Ican’t begin to understand,Abraxas, but know that you have my loyalty, through all this.”
“Neverdoubted that,Commander.”Theystood silent for a moment.
“I’llsend in just a few scouts, tell them just to go in and out—one day—see what they can tell us.Maybesome clue to what keeps happening to the others.”
Abraxashummed his approval, andAvlynseemed to take that as a dismissal.
Itried not to breathe, as the room grew more silent.Theking rose, but as he made his way to the door, he closed it and turned around, sitting back down.Itried to move silently, making my way back down the tunnel when, “Noneed to hide anymore,Princess,Iknow you’re there.”Ifroze.Ifelt the tapestry pull back behind me, and he motioned for me to step out.Hewas backlit by the fire in the room, soIcouldn’t see his face.
Imoved slowly, extracting myself from the tunnel, and stood face-to-face with him.
“Howdid you knowIwas there?”
“Ialways know where you are,Princess.”Asshole.Heseemed to read the unspoken words on my face, and he laughed, “YouthinkIdidn’t know about all your late-night wanderings these last weeks?”Mymouth dropped open, and he laughed again, which caused me to snap it shut.
“Whydid you let me wander if you knew?”
“Despitewhat you think, you aren’t a prisoner here,Princess.Ifyou wanted to explore, all you had to do was ask,” he smirked then. “AlthoughImust admit,Idid like watching you shimmy out of that window every night.”Myheart started to beat faster, and blood was pumping in my ears.
“Oh, soIsupposeIcould go down to the city and get on a boat wheneverIwanted?”
Hisbrow furrowed, “No.”
Icrossed my arms, “Seemsmy freedom has its limits.”
“Youare royalty,Ithought you would already be used to that.”Hewas right, of course, andIhad a feeling he wasn’t only talking about me.Mylife had always been dictated by the needs of my family, the needs of my kingdom, and all the limitations my society had required.Ihad fought them, but it hadn’t changed anything.Infact, it had almost killed me.ButIwasn’t about to let him know he was right.
“Whyare you keeping me here?Whatpurpose doIserve?Asyou can see,I’mno master spy.”Imotioned to the tapestry, then the drawingsIsaw littering the table, all maps of theForestofDarkness, or at least pieces of it.
Hedidn’t answer, butIkept looking at the drawings.Themaps were created by scouts in the forest.Eachwas dated, but despite all originating from the same place, they were completely different.
